# Saving Shader Networks
**URL:** https://forum.highend3d.com/t/saving-shader-networks/60861
**Category:** Xsi
**Tags:** rendering
**Created:** [September 6, 2001, 6:36am UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/saving-shader-networks/60861 "2001-09-06T06:36:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@thenexx2](https://forum.highend3d.com/u/thenexx2)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2001, 6:36am UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/saving-shader-networks/60861/1 "2001-09-06T06:36:45Z")
I must admit that the whole material thing in XSI is so different from other programs. I know that I could create a material library, but there is not material editor where you have a list of all scene materials and you could apply them easily to your objects.
However if there is a tool in XSI that I don't know which allow to store materials and especially part of shading networks I would greatly appreciate explanations. I tried to drag&drop shading network to presets toolbar, but it didn't work, also I havent found how to do this... so .. and information would be cool =)
* * *
Dennis Sedov
[www.3dennis.com](http://www.3dennis.com)
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### Author:  [@wolfinger](https://forum.highend3d.com/u/wolfinger)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2001, 11:15am UTC](https://forum.highend3d.com/t/saving-shader-networks/60861/2 "2001-09-06T11:15:43Z")
It took me a while to figure out too when I first got my hands on XSI...
I use groups for the task now, a group has a material, and all objects that are a memeber of that group inherit the material. Note that a group is not a hierarchical unit, and an object can be a member of several groups at the same time. One group could be for the material, another for visibility, a third for subdivision level etc